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It is understood took HM Revenue and customs over three months to compile the list of gaps photo: CORBIS

Attempts at a small business to cut the 35 m ￡ Businesslink.gov.uk advice website running year cost was repelled by HM Revenue & customs.

Fubra, a hosting and Web site developers society had identified BusinessLink has cost the Government ￡ 4. 7 m per year only "hosting and infrastructure"--a sum that could significantly reduce.

"We told you pay ￡ 46 by 1000 visitors and it is much more than it should be," said Joe Gardiner, responsible for development of Fubra products. "It is not a site complexe.Nous built it on an open source site called WordPress. We ran it through and 97pc economy was possible.

Fubra, which has been trading for 10 years and employs 25 people, has published its results on its Web site and was called by Serco, FTSE 100, a contract to provide a BusinessLink.gov.uk support services group he asked them to work until two prototypes of open source platforms, WordPress and Drupal Web site.

"We had several meetings and then Word returned from HMRC that they were not happy with the number of third-party vendors that they used. "It was quite a shock for us because we found that the massive economies are possible," said Mr. Gardiner.

"What surprised us was that ies seems to be more interested to go to Serco giving contracts to SMEs [small and medium-sized business for medium-sized]." "Why did they go direct to small business?"

Mr. Gardiner issued an e-mail that he said that Serco sent explaining its decision in a discussion on obstacles to the growth of small businesses has put in place by the business Minister Mark Prisk online.

He said: "our point of view IES problem is that they are the client: we are an agency employee to work for them"We approached to seek approval & budget for the programme and have since returned to their (according to our agreed process) and told them that we spend the budget using certain agencies to be part of the work.

"ISS questioned then what value Serco contribute really if"everything we do is using other to do our work", so we had to make some savings."One of the two agencies initially to deploy three elements integrateable based on drupal are now manage the process of development prototype as a whole. It was a natural extension and meant we could save on the involvement of another third is pleased to ISS (or happier at least...) ".

Serco refused to comment on the content of the email, but said he worked closely with SMEs throughout its Government contracts.

Has said a spokesman: "we are committed to SMEs in the programme of Businesslink.gov.Quarante per cent of the current year pass date with providers of SMEs and provide an excellent service."

"Serco values and supports actively our .Environ 80pc of our 15,000 suppliers supply base businesses are SMEs."

Fubra, which has been trading since 10 years and employs 25 people, tried to pitch ISS directly, but its tendering rules require that companies have prior experience working for the public sector.

"There is a list of providers, but to get on this list, that you have public.Nous sector clients are now trying to local government for some work on our CVS to then apply for Government central.Mais contracts is a nightmare," said Mr. Gardiner.

A spokesman said: "we are committed to draw on this experience and remain committed to providing a cost-effective online service that works for companies."

"This includes the development of the system"Contracts Finder", which will be launched in March 2011.Ce will be a free installation for small businesses to find markets in the public sector and sub markets in one place online.""Contracts Finder" will also be the place where central Government offers contracts and documents are published.?

The latest statistics of conflict of interest show BusinessLink received 1.16 m unique visitors per month.

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